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Year 7

Factors affecting food choice

I can identify and explain the different factors that affect food choice.

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New
New
Year 7

Factors affecting food choice

I can identify and explain the different factors that affect food choice.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. There are a range of factors affecting food choice, including preference, religion, health, location, culture and money.
  2. Food choice depends on many personal and lifestyle factors, such as body image and role models, as well advertising.
  3. The eating occasion and location, as well as who we eat with, can change our food choices.
  4. Food labels can be used to make informed food choices, such as nutrition and allergy labelling.
  5. When planning to cook, the time available, cost of ingredients, and food skill experience should be considered.

Keywords

  • Factors - a fact or influence that affects what food people decide to buy, cook and/or eat

  • Food choice - what food people decide to buy, cook and/or eat

  • Informed - to make a decision based on having knowledge of a subject

Common misconception

We only make conscious food choices about what food we buy, cook and eat, based on a range of factors.

We make conscious and unconscious food choices about the food we buy, cook and eat.


To help you plan your year 7 cooking and nutrition lesson on: Factors affecting food choice, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

To bring 'making food choices' to life, use a range of food labels and/or restuarant menus (downloaded online) and ask pupils to make choices based on a range of factors for different people, e.g. having an allergy, following a vegan diet, reducing salt intake. Pupils should explain their reasons.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
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Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? We should drink more when it is hot or when we are active.
Correct answer: True
False
Q2.
Which would you choose to help towards your 5 A DAY?
potato salad
cherry cake
Correct answer: fruit salad
Q3.
Which of the following can be used to help make better food and drink choices for health?
Correct answer: 8 tips for healthy eating
Correct answer: the Eatwell Guide
food hygiene information
Q4.
When choosing food, why should we have less of these types of foods: cakes, biscuits, ice cream, crisps, and lemonade?
They are high in protein and fibre.
They are low in fat, salt and/ sugars.
Correct answer: They are high in fat, salt and/or sugars.
Q5.
Packaged foods have food which can help us make decisions.
Correct Answer: labels, label
Q6.
Match the food to the occasion.
Correct Answer:cereals, toast and orange juice,breakfast
tick

breakfast

Correct Answer:sandwiches and birthday cake,party
tick

party

Correct Answer:sandwiches, salad and dips,picnic
tick

picnic

5 Questions

Q1.
Which sandwich would you choose if you wanted one lower in fat?
Correct answer: Sandwich A
Sandwich B
Q2.
What might influence what we eat consciously?
role models
Correct answer: religion
advertising
Correct answer: food preferences
Q3.
Match the location to the most likely food.
Correct Answer:cafe,breakfast, e.g. cereal and toast
tick

breakfast, e.g. cereal and toast

Correct Answer:park,picnic, e.g. sandwiches
tick

picnic, e.g. sandwiches

Correct Answer:cinema,snack, e.g. popcorn
tick

snack, e.g. popcorn

Correct Answer:party,birthday cake
tick

birthday cake

Q4.
Which allergens are being identified on this label?
An image in a quiz
onions
Correct answer: wheat flour
Correct answer: celery seeds
peas
Correct answer: milk
Q5.
Food labels can be used to make food choices.
Correct Answer: informed